Trying new Techniques when Bored with Photography

Has your photography or cinematography work lost its appeal? Photographer Peter McKinnon wants to inspire you with some ideas for breaking out of a creative rut. If you ever fall into a rhythm that becomes repetitive and starts to feel more like work than creativity, these tips could be very useful:

McKinnon normally shoots his portraits during the day for the lighting. To switch it up, he flips the script and ventures out into the night with his subject to find a neon light or brighter location. Changing the scenery and lighting can always help you to appreciate a new look in your work that sets itself apart from your routine portraits. Positioning your subject in front of neon lights and shooting toward them creates an effect that is very popular among Instagram photographers today. Find a friend to work with and give it a try!

Another tip he shares is to grab an extra lens and try photographing through the back of it. If you have a lens with a wider element in the back, it will work effectively for a completely new look. The composition will be positioned upside down, but you can always flip it right side up when it’s time to sit down and edit. This trick works well for when you have to go out and photograph a subject or scene that you have already worked with countless times. Finding alternative methods of innovation can be tricky, especially when you feel uninspired and stuck on how to find a new viewpoint.

You can also head out to your local department store and scour the shelves for materials that will create an awesome effect in your photos. In his example, McKinnon purchased a cheap piece of plastic with a pattern on it that he used to cast an appealing shadow on anything that the light shone on. Items around the house will work, too!

There you have it! Hopefully, these tips help you to look at your creative funk as a temporary setback that can be repaired. Overall, just keep shooting and finding new ways to put a creative spin on the work that you normally do. Creativity knows no bounds!

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